


not done yet

by stellagibsons (orphan_account)



Series: moving on [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-25
Updated: 2012-12-25
Packaged: 2017-11-22 08:21:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/607772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/stellagibsons
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>emma realizes she, too, misses regina. so, after a few weeks without her in storybrooke, she goes after her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	not done yet

"What do you mean the plane already took off?" 

The attendant huffed in annoyance. "It took off about fifteen minutes ago. If you were supposed to be on it, I'm sure we can give you a full refund." 

"No, I was supposed to  _stop_ somebody from leaving." 

"From Maine all the way to Europe? Clearly someone didn't want to be stuck here anymore."

_How right you are, lady._

"She's not coming back, 'Ma. Let's just... go home." 

Emma's sure she's never heard him sound so sad or look so defeated. Something swells up in her, and she isn't sure what it is. But whatever it is, it tells her that Henry's not the only one who wants Regina back.

"No, we're going to get her. We'll give her some time and then go get her if she doesn't come back." 

* * *

Emma's quick when it comes to packing, years of practice had her perfecting the skill. But what she's not used to is tearful goodbyes. Snow and Charming are both extremely upset, obviously. 

"You can't go get her," James says solemnly. 

"James is right, Em," Snow says behind them, standing in the doorframe. "She's safer if she's not in Storybrooke. People may be grateful that she saved you and I, but they're still unhappy with her. And some still may want to kill her. And we have Cora detained. We can't let Regina come back to this, it would break her all over again." 

Emma realizes that Snow's burden is that she doesn't want to hurt Regina any longer, that's why she's happy she's gone. 

"She'll be happy Cora's locked up," Emma tries, stuffing a pair of pants into her duffle. "Just... I'm an adult. I have been since you've met me. I can take care of myself. If you didn't think that I could, you wouldn't of shoved me in a wooden box and sent me here to defend myself." It's a low blow, even for Emma.

Snow's face drops. "I just want to protect you."

"You're smothering me," Emma snaps. "Just... take care of Henry."

"I'm coming with you," Henry says, bouncing into the room with his own duffle bag.

Emma's eyebrows rise. "No, you're not. Regina will kill me when we get there and she sees you."

" _You_ won't be able to talk her into coming back.  _I_ will. I'm the reason she left."

Emma can't argue with the first half, so she agrees. 

* * *

 "Do you even know  _what_ part of Europe she's in, Emma?" Snow and James stand in the living room of Snow's small apartment, both of their arms crossed over their chests. Henry and Emma are at the door with their bags. 

"No," Emma replies, "I was going to ask Archie."

James snorts. "Do you really think he'll give that up? He's for the whole patient-doctor-confidentiality thing." 

"I'll get him to tell me."

"Good luck, Emma," Snow says before cutting whatever James was going to say off with a glare. Emma almost wants to chuckle until she's pulled into a hug by both of her parents. "Come home safe."

Emma blinks away the tears that burn her eyes. "I will. So will Regina." But she knows only Snow is worried about that.

* * *

"Oh, hello, Emma!" Archie grins as he opens the door to his office wide. "And Henry," he adds as he sees the smaller boy come out from behind Emma and into the office. "What can I do for you two today? Do you guys need to talk about anything... because you know I'm always here to lisen to you Hen -" 

"No, this isn't about me," Henry interjects hurriedly. "This is about my mom." Archie looks at Emma. "My  _other_ mom." Henry sounds annoyed now. 

Archie straightens the slightest bit, looks like he's getting on the defensive. "What would you like to speak about?" 

"Do you know where she went?" Emma asks quickly, putting her hand on Henry's arm and bringing him near her. "Don't give me the 'patient-therapist-confidentiality' shit. This is for real. She left thinking no one wanted her here and that's not true." 

"I know it's not true," Archie says calmly, "but she doesn't. No one told her different, and it's not my position to tell her so, as much as I wanted her to stay in Storybrooke."

Emma huffs. "Where did she go?" she repeats.

"I can't tell you that."

"Yes you can."

"No, I can't. I gave Regina my word." 

Emma grits her teeth in annoyance. "Look, our kid - mine and Regina's - misses her. He needs her in his life. I -" She bites her tongue, almost adding,  _I miss her too,_ which just wouldn't do. "Just tell me where she went. I know she loves Henry more than anything and she did this for him."

"Spain." 

* * *

"Mom went to Spain because she doesn't think I love her."

Emma looks down at Henry in the front seat. "Wait here, okay? I'm going to get us hot chocolates and food for the ride to the airport in Boston." 

"Why in Boston?"

"I have a friend that can get me on a flight real cheap." 

"Okay." 

Emma gets out of the car and runs into the diner. "Ruby?" 

"Hi, Em!" Ruby says brightly from behind the counter. "Your usual?" She looks around. "Where's Henry? You two have been nearly inseperable since you -"

"No offense, Ruby, but I'm in a hurry," Emma cuts her off. She immediately feels bad at the look on Ruby's face. "Henry and I are going to Europe." 

Ruby's eyebrows shoot up as she quickly goes to get Emma her and Henry's usual order. When she comes back, she hands Emma the bag and gives her a look. "Are you going to find Regina?"

"Yes."

Ruby's mouth twitches. "Be safe."

"I will. Thanks, Ruby. I'll be home soon!" 

* * *

"All passengers boarding the flight from Boston to Spain -" 

Emma stops listening as she buckles a sleeping Henry into his seat. He passed out nearly an hour ago, and lugging him aboard has proven to be quite difficult. She slumps in her seat and waits impatiently for the plane to take off.

The plane plays a dumb movie.

The flight attendants come around with food and Emma wakes Henry up for it.

He declines and goes back to sleep.

The slight turbulance causes Henry to stir and mumble something that sounds like  _mom_ under his breath, but Emma knows it's not for her. She takes his hand and he squeezes back.

Then they land, smoothly, and Emma knows they need to get this done fast.

* * *

It's tough to find her, it really is. To figure out where she's staying. But Emma (actually, Henry does) figures out that Regina, being Regina, would want to stay in a high-class, luxurious hotel. So she goes to the priciest one.

"Welcome!" 

"Can you tell me what room Regina Mills is currently staying in?" 

The receptionist raises an eyebrow. "I'm not allowed to divulge that information, ma'am." Her Spanish accent makes it slightly hard to understand, but Emma manages.

"Look, Lady," Emma begins, "this is our son." She crooks a thumb over her shoulder at Henry. "We flew all the way from Boston to here to see her, to convince her to come back to us. It would be really, really nice if you could just tell us what room she's in so we could leave and never look back." _Be a family,_ Emma almost says as well, but she tells herself the thought only popped into her head so she could get the lady softened up.

"She's in the Penthouse." 

"Great, thanks."

The elevator ride up to the penthouse is silent, but Henry's hand finds Emma's, and she knows that it'll be alright. Or rather, she hopes it will be. Once up there, they hurriedly knock on the door.

"Just a moment!" is yelled in their direction and the elevator dude goes back down the shaft. 

Emma sees a silhouette come from the far side of the room, then a light switch turns on.

Clad in a black nighty and a robe that goes midthigh (slightly longer than the nighty) is Regina. Her hair is wet, her face scrubbed clean of all makeup. She looks natural. Emma's never seen her look more beautiful.

"Mom?" 

Regina's face - which was the epitome of calm a moment ago - drops completely as she takes in sight of Emma and Henry standing in the doorway of her room. 

* * *

"You are one hard woman to find, Regina."

Regina stads completely dumbfounded that Emma and Henry have managed to track her down.

"What are you doing here, MissSwan?" She doesn't speak to Henry, nor does she look at him. She knows the moment she does, she'll be crawling back to Storybrooke for him.

"You need to come back with us, mom," Henry says before Emma can even open her mouth to speak. "I miss you and I need you, and I think Emma misses you, too." 

Regina snorts but she doesn't respond or let her eyes wander toward him. Instead, she keeps her eyes locked on the blonde who looks slightly panicked. "I'm staying in Europe. You wasted your time and money, and whatever effort, coming out to fetch me. I'm not going back. It's a death sentence." 

"Regina -"

Henry dashes from Emma, his hand ripped from hers, and he wraps his arms around Regina. From the light, Emma can see a stain of wet now etched into her middle, courtesy of Henry's tears. 

Regina looks like she's at a loss, and she puts her hands lightly on Henry's back. She bites down on her bottom lip, almost enough to draw blood, as she attempts to keep back the tears that are pooling in her dark eyes. 

"Please mom," Henry whispers into her stomach, almost inaudibly. 

"You have all you need." Regina's voice is hoarse and strangled, almost forced. It's as if the air in her lungs is constricting her to the point that she can hardly breathe. 

_That's what a broken heart feels like._

"No I don't," Henry whines as he pulls back. "I mean, I love Emma and James and Snow, but I've had you as a mom for my whole life. I can't not have you in my life, mom." 

Regina looks away. 

"Regina," Emma says as she takes a few tentative steps forward. "No one in Storybrooke will hurt you if you get back. Hell, if you want, Henry can move back in with you. I know that Snow and James are getting ready to get a bigger house, the one David and Kathryn lived in. I can have her apartment all to myself and... we can share him." 

The brunette takes a few deep breaths and looks down at Henry for the first time. "Are you sure you want me in your life forever, Henry? After all, I don't think your  _real,_ " the word leaves a bad taste in her mouth, "family will appreciate me being in your life after all that's happened."

" _You're_ my mom." 

Emma feels slightly jealous.

" _She's_ my mom, too." 

Now she just feels proud. 

"And if people in Storybrooke don't accept that, then that's their problem."

Emma's heart swells. He is definitely their son. _Their._  

"I don't want to go back yet." 

"We can stay for a couple days." 

Regina and Emma lock eyes. "Deal." 


End file.
